Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dukhan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dukhan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,672 in Dukhan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,284 in Dukhan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,895 in Dukhan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 49% cheaper than Dukhan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Dukhan is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$6.71 QAR 24.43

-70.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$55.3 QAR 201

-65.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$6.74 QAR 24.53

17.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.66 QAR 42.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.10 QAR 40.42

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$5.22 QAR 18.99

-63.41%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.80 QAR 2.93

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.33 QAR 1.21

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$2.12 QAR 7.71

-22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$1.62 QAR 5.91

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$2.19 QAR 7.96

-46.12%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$2.65 QAR 9.64

-24.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$11.71 QAR 42.64

35.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$7.72 QAR 28.10

-61.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$10.45 QAR 38.05

3.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$1.96 QAR 7.14

33.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.61 QAR 5.87

-24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.51 QAR 5.50

12.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$1.44 QAR 5.25

9.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$1.03 QAR 3.74

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$1.07 QAR 3.91

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$1.33 QAR 4.84

-49.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.48 QAR 1.76

16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.81 QAR 35.70

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 QAR 11.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$6.16 QAR 22.42

-26.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$2.26 QAR 8.23

-40.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$2.14 QAR 7.80

-36.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$13.49 QAR 49.09

-38.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$0.57 QAR 2.06

122.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$22.2K QAR 81.0K

-4.87%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$20.2K QAR 73.6K

11.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.2 ฿2,281

$91.2 QAR 332

-23.10%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.77 ฿448

$37.41 QAR 136

-63.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$88.1 QAR 321

-80.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$12.52 QAR 45.57

-53.83%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 ฿9,953

$806 QAR 2,933

-62.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$11.9K QAR 43.2K

24.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$62.6 QAR 228

-13.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$54.9 QAR 200

-52.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$101 QAR 369

-16.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$91.2 QAR 332

-23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$1,394 QAR 5,073

-69.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$916 QAR 3,335

-74.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$1,754 QAR 6,384

-52.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$1,154 QAR 4,202

-55.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$4,016 QAR 14.6K

-84.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

-17.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dukhan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,394 in Dukhan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 532% higher in Dukhan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $55.0 in Dukhan. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $211 in Dukhan – so Dukhan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Dukhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dukhan costs about 96% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,508 in Dukhan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $55.0 in Dukhan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Dukhan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Dukhan at $1,672. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dukhan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,672 in Dukhan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dukhan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.